The Mercado Girl
by UntilNeverDawns
Summary: Chantal Mercado is left with the Malfoys for the remainder of the summer and starts Hogwarts with Draco. Only problem-- she can't stand him. Draco/OC
1. Chapter 1

The Mercado Girl

Part one.

Chantal Mercado sighed as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror. _This is it_ she thought dismally. _Time for everything to change again. _Her parents were making her change schools so they could travel without worrying about her getting into "trouble" at Beauxbatons. She was moving in with old friends of her parents, the Malfoys. They had a son, Draco, who was her age. Chantal shook her head to clear her thoughts and quickly French braided her golden-blonde hair, dabbing a bit of makeup on her face before grabbing her clutch purse and heading down the stairs to her waiting luggage and parents.

Rachelle Mercado was an older version of her daughter, lovely and petite with golden-blonde hair that was pulled sternly back in a French twist. She smiled as her daughter came down the stairs.

"Don't forget, darling, the Malfoys have graciously opened their home to you, and are intending to welcome you with a ball this evening. Do try to present yourself well, dear. All of the notable families will be there."

Chantal nodded. She had already packed all of her formal dresses and gowns for occasions such as these. It was expected in Pureblood society.

"Darling, it's time to go," Gerard Mercado said, coming in the door from overseeing the house-elves packing Chantal's extensive wardrobe into the family limo for the ride to Malfoy Manor. Chantal kissed her mother and father goodbye and stepped inside her limo. She resisted the urge to look back at what she was leaving behind. She was starting over, and Merlin witness, she was not going to screw it up.

"Begging your pardon, Miss Mercado, but we've arrived," the driver said, gently touching her shoulder to wake her. Chantal blinked and straightened her clothes and makeup with a wave of her wand. She stepped out of the limo onto the circle drive in front of Malfoy Manor, squared her shoulders and walked towards the large front door. Before she could knock, a house-elf opened the door.

"Yes?" the small elf said.

"That will be all, Jessie," a haughty voice said from within. "Please come in, Chantal. I am Narcissa."

Chantal stepped into the large foyer and was embraced by the forbidding Narcissa Malfoy.

"Thank you for having me, Mrs. Malfoy. It is most kind of you." Chantal said when Narcissa released her.

"It's Narcissa, dear. Mrs. Malfoy is my mother-in-law." The forbidding exterior was cracked when she smiled. Chantal nodded graciously. "Now where is that son of mine? Draco!"

"Yes, mother?" a bored voice replied.

"Come and greet Chantal, she is staying with us for the remainder of the summer and will be returning with you to Hogwarts this year."

A boy came around the corner; he had pale blonde hair and piercing blue-gray eyes. He was gorgeous. Chantal had to resist the urge to swoon.

"This is her? I was expecting someone prettier from the Mercado family." The boy said. Chantal gasped, she had never been so humiliated.

"Draco! Apologize to Chantal immediately!" Narcissa was fuming.

The boy was silent and turned to head back up the stairs. Chantal just stood there. No one had ever said she wasn't pretty, or insulted her so deeply.

"Chantal, I apologize for my son. He usually is not so rude. He will have a change in attitude before the party tonight."

Chantal smiled graciously. "It's all right Narcissa. I'm sure we'll become great friends," over my dead body.

Narcissa smiled at the younger girl and called one of the house-elves to show her to her room. Chantal followed the small elf to a spacious room, where she found her clothes all unpacked.

"Will Miss need help with preparations for tonight?" the small elf asked.

"Yes, I will thank you. And you may call me Chantal."

"Chrissy would not presume to use Miss's first name. Mistress Malfoy would be most displeased."

"Well then, Chrissy, we shall not displease Mistress Malfoy," she said kindly to the small elf, who bowed deeply and disappeared.

Chantal stepped out onto her balcony and let the wind whip through the loose strands of her hair. She closed her eyes and pulled the tie out of her braid, letting her hair fly free in the wind. It seemed like only seconds later that Chrissy the house elf had returned to help her dress for the ball.

Chantal had a beautiful strapless pale turquoise gown, with a beaded satin bodice and layers of tulle decked with sequins for the full-length skirt. Chrissy styled her hair into a low side ponytail with cascades of curls along the side of her face. Chantal finished off her makeup just as Chrissy finished strapping her silver heels and another elf came to tell her that the guests had all arrived. The Malfoys had planned for her to come down the grand staircase when everyone arrived, giving everyone a fair chance to see the new member of Britain's Pureblood high society.

Chantal sighed deeply before nodding to the elves to open the doors at the top of the stairs.

"Miss Chantal Mercado," a voice said and every set of eyes in the room were fixed on her. _Just don't trip, and everything will be fine _she thought to herself as she successfully reached the bottom of the stairs. Everyone was silent, even that mean, insulting Draco Malfoy.

**A/N: I hope you like this story. Please Review! I love to hear everyone's opinions!**


	2. Chapter 2

The Mercado Girl

Part Two

"Chantal, it is lovely to finally meet you. Have you met my son, Blaise?" Mrs. Zabini said, ushering over her son, who was having a conversation with Draco.

"It's a pleasure," Chantal said, as Blaise took her hand and brought it to his lips.

"The pleasure is all mine, Chantal. You'll be attending Hogwarts in the fall? Perhaps I may see you there?"

"Perhaps. It was lovely meeting you, Blaise," Chantal said as Narcissa came to usher her to another introduction with another notable wizarding family. She had noticed Narcissa's son staring at her while she talked with Blaise, she couldn't help but wonder what nasty comment he would make next. If he made one at all.

"Chantal, you are making _quite_ an impression tonight," Narcissa said, seeming quite impressed with the younger woman.

"Thank you Narcissa. I'm humbled by the –" before, she could finish; she was ushered onto the dance floor by none other than Draco Malfoy himself.

"Care to dance?" he asked with a smirk as they glided across the dance floor.

"Isn't it a bit late to be asking that, Malfoy?" Chantal hardly fought the edge that snuck into her voice.

"Well excuse me, _Mercado_. I was just trying to be a gracious host."

"By insulting the guests when they walk in the door? Hardly the behavior of a 'gracious' host."

Draco looked like he had been slapped in the face. The music ended and Chantal swept away, leaving Draco standing there, dumbfounded.

The day after the ball shined bright and clear. Chantal awoke after a restful sleep to find Chrissy the elf there to help her get ready for the day, beginning with breakfast with the Malfoys. Chantal entered the dining room in dark gray corduroys and a fitted white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to her elbows.

"Good morning, Chantal. Did you sleep well?" Narcissa asked from across the table where she sat with her husband, the incredibly intimidating Lucius Malfoy, whom Chantal had met the night before.

"Very well, I thank you," she said, taking a small bite of her eggs. Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be seen.

"Narcissa, where is Draco?" Lucius asked in an uninterested tone. "It is rude for him not to be here for breakfast."

Narcissa sighed and snapped her fingers. A house elf appeared and after receiving her instructions, disappeared to go locate the boy.

When Draco made an appearance, he looked as if he had just rolled out of bed, which was made more obvious by his seat next to the prim and pretty Chantal.

"Good morning, Draco," Chantal said, trying to at least be cordial with the disagreeable boy.

He muttered something under his breath in reply. Chantal just rolled her eyes, finished her breakfast and asked to be excused. Her request was granted, with the stipulation that she be ready to go to Diagon Alley with Draco for school supplies within a few hours. Chantal agreed and returned to her room.

She laid on her bed, staring at the top of the four-poster, just thinking. _What did I ever do to him to make him such a jerk, and yet he has decent people as friends. That Blaise seemed really nice…_ Her thoughts were interrupted by a series of insistent knocks on her door.

"Yes?" she asked. The door swung open to reveal the one and only Draco Malfoy.

"It's time to go," he said shortly, turning away from her and going down the hall.

_He's really rude, isn't he?_

**But of course he is. He's a Malfoy.**

_That's unfair. Narcissa is agreeable._

**If you say so.**

Chantal grabbed her clutch and her wand and went down to the fireplace where Lucius and Narcissa were waiting to see them off with Floo Powder. Narcissa gave her a quick hug as she took a handful of Floo Powder and threw it in, stepping into the fire.

"Diagon Alley!"

Chantal stepped out of the fireplace, removing the soot from her white Oxford with a quick spell and looking around. The Alley was bustling with people getting supplies for the new year at Hogwarts. Draco came out of the fireplace and started walking away.

"Where are you going?" Chantal asked, slightly perturbed by his indifference.

"_I'm _going to get my supplies. _You _are going to get yours," he said, as if it was obvious. He walked away.

Chantal shook her head and went down the alley to the robe shop. She needed robes for Hogwarts instead of her powder blue Beauxbatons robes.

"Can I help you?" the stout woman who owned the shop asked when Chantal entered the shop.

"Yes, ma'am, I need Hogwarts robes please."

The woman nodded and helped her onto a block so that she could fit her new robes.

"Starting new this year, dear?" she asked. "Begging your pardon, but you look a bit tall to be a first year."

"I'm sixteen," she said. "I went to Beauxbatons last year."

"Oh, that's lovely. Here you are dear. That will be 16 Galleons." Madame Malkin said, handing Chantal a package containing her robes. She handed the woman the money and headed on her way, she still had things she needed.

"Let's see; new potions kit, owl, broom cleaning kit, quills—OW!" Chantal's list-making was interrupted by her running into a set of very tall redheaded twins.

"Whoa, sorry about that!" they said in unison, helping Chantal to her feet.

"It's all right," she said, brushing off her corduroys.

"I'm Fred," the one on the right said.

"And I'm George," his twin said.

"We're the Weasley Twins!" they said in unison.

"I'm Chantal. Chantal Mercado. Do you guys practice that?"

"Practice what?" they said.

**A/N: Well wasn't that fun? Let's see what troube Chantal gets into next. Review please! I'd really like to know what all of you think about this story!!**


	3. Chapter 3

The Mercado Girl

Part Three

Chantal followed the twins to a huge, well-lit, packed joke shop.

"Welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes—it's our joke shop. C'mon Chantal, we want you to meet some people!" the twins each grabbed one of her arms and started pulling her toward a small group of people mostly comprised of redheads.

"Who's this?" a round, redheaded woman asked the twins.

"This is Chantal, mum. She's a new friend." George said.

"It's lovely to meet you dear," the woman said gently. "I'm Molly Weasley, and this is my daughter Ginny," a redheaded girl who appeared about a year younger than Chantal, "My son Ron," a tall redheaded boy who appeared about her age, "and his friends Harry and Hermione," Hermione was a bushy-haired brunette who seemed really nice, also about Chantal's age and Harry, the black haired boy with the lightning scar on his forehead. "It's, er, nice to meet you, Chantal," Harry said, extending a hand.

She smiled. "It's nice to meet you too; all of you."

"MERCADO!" the shout from across the shop sent many heads in the direction of Draco Malfoy.

"What do you want with her, Malfoy?" Harry said defensively, stepping in front of Chantal.

" That's none of your business, Pothead. Chantal- Mother and Father expect us back by now."

"All right, I'm coming. I'll see you guys later?" She quickly hugged the twins and waved goodbye to the others.

The group nodded as Chantal grudgingly followed Draco back to the fireplace. He didn't speak to her, and went off to brood when they returned to Malfoy Manor. Chantal sent her owl to fetch what she didn't manage to get at Diagon Alley and she decided to relax until dinner. When Chrissy came to help her get ready-dinner was a formal affair with the Malfoys- Chantal changed from her corduroys into a royal blue dress that flowed to her knees and silver high heels. Chrissy quickly put small sections of her hair into small braids and disappeared when she was finished and Chantal was ready to go down the stairs to the dining room.

When she entered, Narcissa and Lucius were seated. Chantal found a place marker with her name across from the empty chair that she assumed belonged to the absent Draco. She began polite small talk with Lucius and Narcissa as they waited for Draco so they could begin the meal.

"How was Diagon Alley today, Chantal? I hope you found all of your supplies."

"Oh, yes Narcissa, I did. It was a very interesting place, so many unique shops and products. We don't have a Fortescue's in France," Chantal replied. "I only wish I didn't have so long before going back to school. Hogwarts sounds delightful."

Lucius inclined his head. "Things at Hogwarts are not what many for the Pureblood families have hoped. The standards for those allowed to be taught there have dropped drastically. Only the Slytherin House has managed to uphold its noble vision."

Chantal nodded in polite agreement. Her parents hadn't really cared about blood status as much until she got older and began dating. Then things changed, and she had her forced 'vacation' with the Malfoys. Now it was still about two weeks until the term started and Draco was a jerk, there was no kind way to put it.

Just as she finished her thought, Draco entered the dining room. She greeted him politely and got only a grunt in return.

"Mother, Blaise is having a small get-together at Zabini Manor tomorrow night. May I go?"

Narcissa nodded with a slight undertone of indifference.

"You may go, Draco," Lucius said slowly. "But only if you take Chantal with you."

Draco's face was frozen in a mask of disbelief. He stood up abruptly, after not even eating a bit and stormed off, presumably back to his room.

_What have I done to make him hate me so much? _Chantal asked herself as she stared at Draco's recently vacated seat. She couldn't understand what was wrong with him.

"If you'll excuse me…" she asked Narcissa. She nodded and Chantal hurried to her room. She needed a swim. Chantal changed out of her dinner clothes into a red bikini, covering it with a silk short kimono-style cover-up. The Malfoys had a large pool directly under where her room was. She snuck down the back stairs to find the pool waiting, cool and refreshing.

She took off her cover-up and dove into the deep end of the pool, surfacing dramatically and gasping for air. It felt good to have her hair fanning out in the water, swirling around her head as she floated on her back, just thinking.

_So about that Malfoy, what _is_ his deal?_

**Ask someone who cares.**

_We do care, or why else would we be asking?_

Chantal's thoughts were interrupted by a loud splash from the other side of the pool, it startled her, causing her to sink and take in water She began coughing to try to clear the chlorinated water from her lungs. She felt strong arms holding onto her, not letting her sink for anything. When she looked up, she almost swallowed water again. It was Draco Malfoy.


End file.
